Preparations Finalized at Pashupatinath Temple for Mahashivaratri Festival

Kathmandu, February 1 (Fagun 1): Preparations at the Pashupatinath Temple area have reached the final stage, targeting the Mahashivaratri festival. The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has stated that a multi-dimensional plan has been implemented to make this year's festival organized, safe, and devotee-friendly.

According to Subhash Joshi, Executive Director and Spokesperson for the Trust, it is estimated that at least eight lakh devotees will visit Pashupatinath on Mahashivaratri, with the expected presence of around four thousand ascetics (sadhus).

"We have arranged for darshan through four separate queues to manage the excessive crowd of devotees," he said, "Special attention has been given to security, health, sanitation, and traffic management."

Special arrangements will be made for vehicle movement around the Pashupati area on the day of Mahashivaratri. A joint team of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Traffic Police will be mobilized. CCTV cameras and mobile patrols have been increased for crowd control, searching for missing persons, emergency rescue, and monitoring suspicious activities.

The Trust has informed that arrangements have been made for pedestrian routes at the main entry points to the Pashupati area and around the temple premises, along with a separate route designated for emergency vehicles.

Executive Director Joshi informed that in addition to the four-queue management for smooth darshan, separate arrangements have been made for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and special guests. According to him, the number of drinking water facilities, restrooms, resting places, and first-aid centers has been increased. Coordination has been made with various hospitals and health institutions to provide health services.

The Trust has stated that volunteers have been mobilized to provide necessary information, facilitation, and guidance to the devotees. Information regarding crowd status and security will be continuously broadcasted via the public address system. A massive cleanliness campaign has been launched in the Pashupatinath temple premises and surrounding areas targeting Mahashivaratri. Painting and beautification work has been carried out in the temple premises, ghat area, roads, and public spaces.

Attention has been paid to keeping the environment clean by conducting a special cleanliness campaign along the banks of the Bagmati River. Additional dustbins have been placed for waste management, and a special team will be deployed daily for waste collection and management.

Temporary accommodation, food, and security arrangements have been made for the sadhus arriving from Nepal, India, and various other countries on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. They will be accommodated in designated locations to maintain discipline within the temple premises.

Special pujas, aartis, bhajans-kirtans, and religious discourses will be conducted on the night of Mahashivaratri. Executive Director Joshi of the Trust stated that it is expected that the festival will be celebrated grandly this year, as per the tradition of devotees gathering at Pashupatinath from across the country to worship Lord Shiva.

The Trust has urged devotees to wait patiently in line for darshan, cooperate with cleanliness efforts, and follow the instructions of the security agencies. It has been stated that cooperation has been sought from all stakeholders to ensure that the Mahashivaratri festival is concluded peacefully, decently, and in an organized manner.

The Trust has stated that preparations have been finalized with the goal of making this year's Mahashivaratri festival historic in terms of religious faith, cultural significance, and management.

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